Stan, no offense intended. It's just that I see a lot of what looks like complaints on here about the miserable way farangs are treated and I see very little of that in my daily life, except of course with the amusement that some of our practices generate, especially when I try to speak broken Thai. Yes, we are a minority, but I've been a minority before. Try, as a Yankee from Pennsylvania, going to college in the deep south in the 60's. Got lots of funny stories too tell about that experience!

firsttimebangkok: Some of the Brits on here would quarrel with you that English is spoken (or written)in the USA. There's even one wag on here that claims that Americans aren't qualified to be English teachers in Thailand.

Given that I was born and bread in England...what a bunch of crap. There are lots of different dialects in England also....that I have trouble understanding....but I can understand an American no problem.

firsttimebangkok wrote:Given that I was born and bread in England...what a bunch of crap. There are lots of different dialects in England also....that I have trouble understanding....but I can understand an American no problem.

What type of bread?? Probably no French bread,for sure!

LOL, I caught that afterwards I meant Bred of course. Seriously though have you ever watched Coronation Street....well it took me a while to figure out they were speaking English. Just making a point...

Right, so it appears as though most ex-pats don't think it is important to be able to speak Thai. I just wonder what those people thought about immigrants to their home country how could not speak their home language (presumably English) despite living there for years, and lived in their own little enclaves.

It seems also that many people again wanted to turn this into a thread about me. Yes, I was somewhat reeled in and expressed my opinion, but that was only after some goading.

Anyway, now I know the answer to my question.

Unless you are relying on them for some service you are paying for, I don't think it is an issue at all.

Petemcc,

Learn the language if you want and be happy. There will be some convenience to life in Udon. But it won't make you Thai, nor will you be assimilated to Thai society. Without in any way trying to be patronising, understanding Thai culture will help you know that you will not and can not become equivelent to a Thai person.

Cheers

W

PS Your "tell it like it is" attitude isn't something that will help you in Thailand (the land of smiles, not giving offence, telling any white lie to Khreng Jai, telling any lie at all to get out of a confrontational situation. Maybe you should work on changing your approach before learning the language? Sorry, couldn't resist that.

wynnsiensheng wrote:Petemcc,

Learn the language if you want and be happy. There will be some convenience to life in Udon. But it won't make you Thai, nor will you be assimilated to Thai society. Without in any way trying to be patronising, understanding Thai culture will help you know that you will not and can not become equivelent to a Thai person.

Cheers

W

PS Your "tell it like it is" attitude isn't something that will help you in Thailand (the land of smiles, not giving offence, telling any white lie to Khreng Jai, telling any lie at all to get out of a confrontational situation. Maybe you should work on changing your approach before learning the language? Sorry, couldn't resist that.

I have no intention of being Thai or integrating into Thai society, I was referring to ex-pats in that regard. Indeed I don't even want to live in Thailand, FFS it's only just a third world country, however for the sake of my love life I will have little choice but to live there. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it for a holiday, but that's about it.
Perhaps one of the reasons why I wouldn't live there is this lying thing. I think Thais and Pakis must have common ancestors because both races are habitual liars, and I don't appreciate that.

But I am to assume you are married or attached to one of them. Must be a hell of a good lier eh!!!

Well Petemcc, in that case enjoy your time in Thailand while your "visit" lasts. I'm not sure there's much point in your learning the language though, nor enquiring about whether other expats do so, and if I may be just a little snippy....why are you wasting your and our time?

So tell me Petemcc why are you with a race that you look down on anyways.

firsttimebangkok wrote:LOL, I caught that afterwards I meant Bred of course. Seriously though have you ever watched Coronation Street....well it took me a while to figure out they were speaking English. Just making a point...

Not correcting or nitpicking FTB,not my style,just joking with you!That si why the emoticons

petemcc wrote:Right, so it appears as though most ex-pats don't think it is important to be able to speak Thai. I just wonder what those people thought about immigrants to their home country how could not speak their home language (presumably English) despite living there for years, and lived in their own little enclaves.

It seems also that many people again wanted to turn this into a thread about me. Yes, I was somewhat reeled in and expressed my opinion, but that was only after some goading.

Anyway, now I know the answer to my question.

What we ''thought''or didn't think,same with the Thais,totally irrelevant unless some adverse action was the result.Like you,I don't worry about what others are thinking,none of my business and a waste of time.Direct insults is an area I have a hard time with!

One thing about being a decided minority,makes one think how one might have lacked empathy for the minorities in our country.Ain't ''education wonderful!!

No offense taken nkstan whatsoever....

firsttimebangkok wrote:So tell me Petemcc why are you with a race that you look down on anyways.

Where did I say I look down on Thais? I said I don't like liars and stated Thailand is barely a third world country, I didn't say I look down on them, it's not their fault that they have never had a government that gives a ---- about them.

But your significant other is then a habitual liar, right.

wynnsiensheng wrote:Well Petemcc, in that case enjoy your time in Thailand while your "visit" lasts. I'm not sure there's much point in your learning the language though, nor enquiring about whether other expats do so, and if I may be just a little snippy....why are you wasting your and our time?

Am I wasting your time? I am so sorry, just ignore me, then I won't waste your time. What I do with my time is my problem. I asked a question and I now have the answer, so I have achieved something and gained a little knowledge, not a waste of my time at all.

firsttimebangkok wrote:But your significant other is then a habitual liar, right.

I've not caught her out yet.

Then why make that statement about Thais, and Pakis.....sorry forgive me but it sounds a little racist.

firsttimebangkok wrote:Then why make that statement about Thais, and Pakis.....sorry forgive me but it sounds a little racist.

Because I can. Does it sound racist, OK, whatever, it's racist. I Live in the most racially integrated city in the entire world, it has all but 3 of the world's nations living here.
Someone else made the statement about Thais, I just compared them to the Pakis.